By: Latiff Mohidin

LINE BY LINE MEANING: Stanza 1

At dawn they returned home
At daybreak, the
villagers finally came
home.
their soaky clothes torn
Their clothes were soaking wet and
torn.
and approached the stove
They walked to the stove (maybe for
warmth and because they were
hungry)
LINE BY LINE MEANING: Stanza 1
their limbs marked by scratches
Their hands were covered with cuts
and scratches
their legs full of wounds
Their legs had suffered a lot of
wounds and injuries
but on their brows However, on their faces
LINE BY LINE MEANING: Stanza 1
there was not a sign of despair
There was no look of hopelessness
LINE BY LINE MEANING: Stanza 1
The whole day and night just passed They had endured the hardship of
a whole day and night.
they had to brave the horrendous
flood
They had to face the terrible flood
after the storm.
in the water all the time They were in the flood water all day
and night.
LINE BY LINE MEANING: Stanza 2
between bloated carcasses
They had to wade between the bloated
and rotting carcasses of dead animals
which died in the flood
and tiny chips of tree barks
and tiny chips that peeled from the barks
of trees
desperately looking for their sons

The villagers were frantically looking for
their sons albino buffalo
LINE BY LINE MEANING: Stanza 2
albino buffalo that was never found
They could not find the albino buffalo
LINE BY LINE MEANING: Stanza 3
They were born amidst hardship
These tough people were born to a life
of hardship and hard work.
and grew up without a sigh or a
complaint

Strengthened by their hardship,
they grew up without complaining
about their difficult life
now they are in the kitchen, making
Now, at home, they are in the kitchen
LINE BY LINE MEANING: Stanza 3
jokes while rolling their cigarette
leaves
They are joking with each other as
they roll their cigarettes.




- THE END -